"Honestly, what GOOD has it done for YOU to watch the news?"

[gmoney]

Was chatting with one of my online friends from WAY back (10 years?) tonight. During our friendship, she's become born-again, been married, had a kid, has another on the way. Her sister enlisted in the NG and spent a tour in Iraq guarding a prison. She lives in Florida. She's upper middle class-ish, but hardly a top 10% type.

For several years now, she's attributed my depression to the fact that I follow the news. She completely ignores it, and doesn't care about it either. Her attitude is almost along the lines of Barbara Bush's "Why should I trouble my beautiful mind?" quote.

Here's the question she asked me tonight:

"Honestly, what GOOD has it done for YOU to watch the news?"

And I have to admit, if I look at it, I'm stumped. What good does it do me to know about death, corruption, war, injustice, poverty, disasters, etc. when I'm really in NO position to do anything about it? Even if I was a super activist, distributing petitions and attending rallys, working for candidates, does my little snowflake make or break the avalanche? I comfort myself by thinking "if I influence two people, and each of them influences two people, and so on, I've made a measurable difference" but rationally, I don't think that's realistic.

What good does it do me to know just how badly the government is screwing me to grant favors to the rich and powerful? Don't I still have to bend over and take it when it comes around? Same as I would if I didn't even see it coming? I mean, I guess I could use the information to make financial plans etc., but that's pretty rare.

Plus, if I'd channeled the time, money, and energy I've spent on news and politics the past few years into something like learning to play the guitar, or getting a masters degree, or getting in physical shape, wouldn't I be better off personally, without actually losing any ground relative to my influence upon the world?

So, is ignorance truly bliss? If I blackout my news intake entirely, will I be happier?

Your thoughts please...

[gmoney]

1. Kick...

Bueller? Bueller?

[JVS]

2. No good. It is time you could have spent smoking weed...

and otherwise having a good time.

[Lilyhoney]

5. It's either one or the other, combining the two might make you paranoid.

:silly:

[obxhead]

3. hhmmmmm........

Stumped....

[Heidi]

4. A 100 percent news blackout = living in a vacuum.

A healthy life is about balance, gmoney.

:hug:

[gmoney]

9. Heidi, you know I value your wisdom...

but I go back to the original question: "Honestly, what GOOD has it done for YOU to watch the news?"

Has it done me one bit of GOOD to know about the Katrina disaster and the disastrous response of our government? It's just increased the anger, stress, and anxiety I already have in copious amounts. The money I reflexively gave to the Red Cross won't make a difference (especially if the Red Cross isn't being allowed to help) but if I'd given that same amount to a local school or even some homeless person around here, it could have a big positive impact.

I'm not necessarily talking about a vacuum to the extent of my friend, but I'm starting to wonder if news isn't just a form of gossip -- the chance for people to be scandalized or titillated or outraged by events and the behavior of others. Except at least with gossip, it may involve people you actually KNOW and might interact with. News and political gossip seems almost as pointless and ultimately meaningless as following professional wrasslin' or college basketball. It provides a diversion, but in the end, it's just a game, and my attention may actually HELP to feed the machine.

So, Heidi, I ask you "Honestly, what GOOD has it done for YOU to watch the news?"

[Heidi]

13. LOTS of good.

If had never had the opportunity to watch the news, I'd be very much ignorant of other people's suffering. If I hadn't spent the first 12 years of my life aware of Vietnam, largely via TV news, I wouldn't be nearly as opposed to war as I am now, for example.

Much of my happiness and success in life arises in the context of my relationships with other human beings, and these relationships aren't confined to "real life" encounters; some of these relationships have arisen through other exposures, including through the news.

[MissHoneychurch]

6. would you want to be in total bliss or igmorance

about what is going on? At least by watching the news or reading the news in the internet you know what is going on and can make the right decision when you are voting. People like your friend have no own mind. They are just babbling what others tell them without thinking if it is right or wrong.

:hug:

[gmoney]

7. Well, I agree in principle, but...

involving myself in the political process does not seem to make any difference, and realistically if I withdraw from the process and focus my energies on self-improvement, wouldn't I be in a better position to improve myself and potentially do MORE for others?

If we didn't brand it as "ignorance" and just called it "disinterest" couldn't this big part of the prime of my life be put to better use? And towards something that gives me satisfaction and positive experiences? I feel like I've been banging my head against a brick wall for 5 years... besides MY blood on the wall, it hasn't changed the wall one tiny bit.

[kick-ass-bob]

8. I don't generally watch the news.

Especially the local stuff. They seem to have a theme to the day. One day it's fires. The next, murders. So I don't watch that crap.

You would be happier on the surface by blocking everything, but then, you also would not know who you should vote for to make things better for yourself (or others).

I only get my news from papers/online. That way I can choose which news is important, not the TV's giving me a 30 second story.

[gmoney]

11. Right, I don't actually watch much news myself...

As far as TV news goes, it's basically The Daily Show (!!!), Bill Maher, and 60 Minutes and once in a great while the Sunday morning shows.

I get a LOT of my news right here on DU, or from the AP feeds on Yahoo and Google. I've dropped the subscription to my local paper, and plan to let my news magazines lapse.

I guess in the original question, you could substitute "FOLLOW the news" for "WATCH the news" and it would apply more to people like you and me.

Knowing who to vote for? I'm not sure that's worth spoiling the other 364 days of the year, is it? I can vote Democratic and against bad issues without being steeped in the minutia of FEMA malfeasance. Besides, where I am is so deeply red and so deeply stupid, I'm a snowflake in hell anyway.

Apart from finding the good people of the DU Lounge, I'm hard pressed to recall any good things that have resulted from being a news junkie for these last few years...

"Honestly, what GOOD has it done for YOU to follow the news?"

[kick-ass-bob]

12. OK - here:

Wouldn't you have more money if you didn't pay your bills?
Wouldn't you be happier if you didn't have to go to work every day?

Obviously, you can see the flaws in the questions above - they just aren't being responsible.

What if everyone ignored the news and just lived in their own ignorant bliss? Then there would be no one for which the government is accountable.

I agree, that overloading yourself with the news is NOT a healthy thing, but completely avoiding it is just as unhealthy. Basically, one would be leaving the "watching" to someone else, but that is a dangerous mantra, as you then actually end up leaving your life in someone else's hands, which is exactly how dictatorships like it.

That is what good it does you to follow the news.

[gmoney]

18. I'm sorry, but...

"Then there would be no one for which the government is accountable."

:rofl:

Apparently, you haven't been paying attention the last 4+ years. Accountability is history, except for individual debtors.

And isn't one definition of insanity to keep doing the same thing, but expecting different results? It feels like it's reaching that point -- government got away from the people about 1980 when Reagan rigged the election by negotiating with the Iran hostage takers. Ross Perot threw a wrench into things by helping Clinton get elected, but as Malloy has said, Clinton was the best Republican president since Lincoln. Eisenhauer was right -- the military industrial complex now runs the country, and globalization will reduce America to a third world country within 50 years. ALL these bastards are untouchable at this point. All the checks and balances are gone, and if Roberts gets confirmed as Chief Justice, stick a fork in us, because we'll be DONE.

So, is it better to live KNOWING there's a gun pointed at your head but never knowing when it will go off, or to be oblivious of the gun and devote ones energies elsewhere? The gun will go off when it goes off... does fretting and raging about it for the next 10-20-30 years change anything but how much satisfaction I get out of those years?

[jus_the_facts]

10. My local news last night....here's the REST o'the Story from NE La.....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=3967276&mesg_id=3967276

*snip*


....here in northeast Louisiana....they showed 4 Hummer type vehicles on the news last night...painted on them was MILITARY POLICE...the news brief said our city chief of police called 'em in to *help out* the thousands who've had to move up here suddenly...oddly I couldn't find one word about it on any local news websites this morning though...maybe they're assuming riots or wanted to use fear factor tactics to quell any possible *unrest* by using that as some sort of warning to would be criminals...regardless they showed tankish looking vehicles with Military Police painted on them and claimed they were asked to come here by the Monroe PD...lookin' like the Third Reich around these parts...as things change...so they stay the same...if they think they'll be needing military police presence in light of the exedous of displaced people to this area...not a *hopeful* sign that good things are on the way for the homeless shelters in Ouachita Parish in the months to come.

[Crazy Guggenheim]

14. I do have to say that I think it's good to take a news break every

so often. Maybe for a minimum of two days. Also I have found that if one settles on one newspaper it's plenty.

I hate to say this - since I did cancel my subscription after the election - that the best newspaper for short, concise news is The Wall Street Journal. Just *stay away* from their editorial page. Their reporting is first class and they do not pull any punches! The news section will give you all you want to know. They slam some companies even if they advertise with them; Jeez!

[imperialismispasse]

15. If you love your country you have to stay informed.

Otherwise you are being iresponsible. But I agree I think I would probably be happier if I didnt know alot of what I know.

[Aristus]

16. You make a good point about being merely a snowflake when

you want to start an avalanche. But at the same time, people aren't ignorant, non-sentient snowflakes. Cumulative effect for people takes less time and fewer "snowflakes" because people CAN be persuaded. People CAN be convinced to act, even if it's only in their own best interests. If you are the one to do the convincing, then you need to know what's going on. I can't count how many threads I read here at DU where someone told a seemingly irredeemable Bushbot the truth about what's happening in the world. And the Bushbot responds: "I DIDN'T KNOW ANY OF THAT!" It won't happen all the time, but evidently, it does happen. And we get back to the snowflake simile: Finally, one snowflake too many will cause a devastating avalanche.

Stay informed, gmoney!

[Lars39]

17. You have kept your mind active, while she is fast becoming

a dullard. I've witnessed this first hand with fundy relatives who have gradually shut themselves down to just paying attention to what their church is doing. I've seen strong-willed women reduced to dependent neurotics over time because their preachers and husbands tell them that they must be submissive.

It used to be that by the time one has grown up that one would "know" the rules, the ins and outs of the system, would know how to get along in society. Bushco has destroyed the ability to take anything for granted by continually changing the rules and safety net. At this point I'd say our very survival depends on keeping up with changes.

Ignoring the problem won't make it go away. Developing your own skills and talents is what will give you an inner balance that will hopefully allow you to keep up the fight.

I'm wondering,though,if we have reached the point where it will take all of us, at 100% effort to overcome these fascists.

[chaska]

19. Happier and better informed, if you hang out here.